PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladimir Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banks has chosen Onward To Victory as his entrance music. Vladimir Banks has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Miller
vs
Banks

190 cm
24
218 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

186 cm
26
203 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, James Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vladimir Banks!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Joseph Jones and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Miller circles away from the clinch attempt.

Miller shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Banks napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Banks taking punishment in the form of punches.
Miller tries to advance to mount but can't.
Miller lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Banks can't do much from the bottom here.
Banks wants to get back to his feet.
Miller taking a break here but Banks is having none of it and regains half guard.
Banks manages to get to full guard.
Banks is trying to control the position but Miller postures up.
Banks wants to stand but Miller is controlling the position.
Banks looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Miller is one step ahead there.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Miller trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Banks wants to stand but Miller is controlling the position.

Banks pushes Miller off and gets back to his feet.
Miller fails with the takedown.
Miller misses with a takedown attempt - Banks sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Banks fails in his attempt to clinch.
Banks moves out of range of the strikes.
Miller moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Miller fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Miller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banks throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Miller fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Banks avoids it really well and circles away.
Miller is breathing heavily.
Banks misses with a jab, cross combination.
Banks looks to score with a jab to the body but Miller is just out of range.
Miller fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks is looking to clinch but Miller is avoiding it.
Banks changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Miller tries to avoid it but Banks manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Miller to the ground. Miller escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Miller misses with a jab, cross combination.

Miller closes the distance and clinches.

Miller pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Miller tries to clinch up but Banks circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Banks looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Banks dodges the punch combination from Miller.

Banks rushes Miller and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Banks lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Miller tries to land knees in the clinch but Banks avoids the damage to the body.
Miller is trying to break the clinch but Banks is controlling him.
Banks can't find room to land a body shot as Miller controls the action.
Knees in the clinch landing for Banks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Miller jumps guard and drags Banks to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Miller has momentary wrist control but Banks slips an elbow through the middle.
Banks trying to control but Miller is working from the bottom.
Banks seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Miller looking to hit a scissor sweep but Banks is one step ahead there.
Banks looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vladimir Banks will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Miller tries to clinch up but Banks circles away and keeps his distance.

Banks shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Miller wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Banks.
Banks scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Miller takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Miller is squirming around, avoiding Banks's attempts to control the action.

Banks jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Miller is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Miller and Banks has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Banks tries to move to mount but Miller blocks the move with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller can't do much from the bottom here.
Miller managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Banks.
Miller is working to avoid the ground and pound but Banks connects with a decent elbow.

Banks tries for a kimura but Miller is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Banks goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Miller rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Banks's guard! Nice work there by Miller!
Banks trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Banks kicks Miller off and gets to his feet.
James Miller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Miller gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Miller tries to break the clinch but Banks is controlling the position.

Miller jumps guard and drags Banks to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Miller is trying to keep Banks in close.
Miller keeping moving, preventing Banks from controlling successfully.
Banks looking to pass the guard.
Banks passes Miller's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Banks seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Miller does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Banks postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Miller to stand up.
Banks tries to clinch but Miller is having none of it.
Miller misses with a looping left.

Miller fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Banks sprawls well initially but Miller persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Banks is looking to improve his position.
Banks is refusing to be controlled, as Miller sits in half guard.

Banks manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Banks looks to throw the jab but Miller is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Miller.
Banks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Miller fails with the takedown
and Banks counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Miller tries to keep at a distance but Banks has taken the fight into the clinch.

Banks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Banks misses with a two punch combination.
Banks throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Miller.
Banks bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Miller's head backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Banks swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Banks shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Miller avoids the head kick by Banks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Banks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Banks misses with a two punch combination.
Miller uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Banks.
Miller misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Miller tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Banks lands a right hook to the body.
Miller avoids a punch combination nicely.
Miller blocks a head kick by Banks.
Banks looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Miller misses with a series of wild punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Miller tries to clinch up
enabling Banks to counter with a crisp jab.
James Miller is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Banks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Banks counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Banks stays in close to Miller's body and controls the position.
Miller controls Banks momentarily but Banks frees himself.
Banks wants to control from the top but Miller keeps moving.
Banks controlling from the top position.
Banks advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks tries to advance to mount but Miller denies him.
Banks takes a little break here. Miller wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Miller is working to avoid the ground and pound but Banks connects with a decent elbow.

Banks wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Miller, who protects the arm well.
Banks trying to control the action but Miller is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Banks tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Banks decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Banks throws a wild body kick that Miller sees coming a mile off.
Banks shoots in for a takedown but Miller shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Banks misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Miller tries to clinch up.
Banks connects with a body shot.
Miller looks to clinch

and Banks counters by clinching up.
A right hand to the body from Banks.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A hook to the body from Banks.
Banks being controlled against the cage.
James Miller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banks blocks a body shot from Miller.
Banks misses with a hook to the ribs.
Miller misses with some punches.
Banks tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Miller pushes off an throws an elbow but Banks leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Vladimir Banks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Banks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Banks lands with a nice combination. Miller backs away looking to recover.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladimir Banks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Banks has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladimir Banks!